Australian activists launched a legal challenge yesterday to tough new laws introduced to prevent protesters “annoying” Catholic pilgrims during Pope Benedict XVI’s upcoming visit to Sydney.
Under the new laws, police will be able to stop behavior that “causes annoyance or inconvenience to participants” in World Youth Day, the celebration of Catholic youth that is the focus of the pope’s visit.
Civil libertarians have said the laws mean people wearing T-shirts with slogans deemed annoying to Catholics face A$5,500 (US$5,225) fines.
Victims of church sex abuse also say it limits their right to legitimate peaceful protest.
Two members of a protest group called the NoToPope coalition went to the Federal Court yesterday in an attempt to have the laws overturned.
NoToPope member Rachel Evans said her group objected to the fact that they faced criminal sanctions for handing out condoms to World Youth Day pilgrims.
“These laws are very draconian and we have the right to protest and say our piece,” she told reporters outside the court.
One of the judges hearing the case, Catherine Branson, said the concept of annoyance was subjective.
“It’s the subjective element that, can I say for myself, I find most troubling,” national news agency AAP quoted her as telling the court.
“There’s a risk of public life in Sydney becoming extraordinarily bland over a period of weeks because of the force of this,” she said.
Meanwhile, one of Australia’s largest sexual health groups, Marie Stopes International, said it would provide free condoms to pilgrims through its four Sydney healthcare centers.
“The simple fact is that many young people — including Catholics — have sex,” Marie Stopes International operations manager Jill Michelson said.
“When young people get together to celebrate and the euphoria is high, sexual activity can occur,” Michelson said.
“To not provide access to condoms to those that choose to engage in sexual activity is simply encouraging unprotected sex, sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancy,” she said.
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